“As a diplomat, my father’s work took my family to different parts of the world. My siblings and I learned to ski in the Swiss Alps. Went apple picking in New York orchards. Traveled extensively through the Swedish archipelago in the summer. Discovered Morocco’s rich culture and history through many road trips. Being the daughter of a diplomat “Most of my life has been around the world. Studying in international schools has given me the opportunity to immerse myself in and mingle with different cultures and peoples from around the world.”
One of the role models of Saudi girls who want to touch the world from their own land was telling her life. Haifa Aljadai. This young woman was one of the 11 Saudi ambassadors who took the oath of office in front of Saudi ruler King Salman on January 3rd of this year at the Al Yamama Palace in Riyadh. To say young woman is very very young. But the positions held are very serious and sizeable. The Head of the Saudi Mission to the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, i.e. the Ambassador.
This is the new Saudi Arabia. It has become an old story or a myth to hear about a country where women are not free. Today, the number of women representing Saudi Arabia on the world stage is increasing. Female flags like Haifa are a good part of what Saudi sends to the United States, Germany, and now the European Union and many international organizations. All of them become female symbols of the Saudi model.
Listening to Haifa’s story, one wonders how a girl who was blessed to see the world and interact with international communities because her father was a diplomat can be a role model for ordinary girls. natural But the answer is that ‘Vision 2030’, the visionary plan for comprehensive development of Saudi Arabia, has been giving to the world for a few years.
The country is making amazing strides in women’s empowerment. Vision 2030 provides all facilities to any ambitious common girl to rise as per her talent and ambition and reach the sky of aspirations. When Rayana Barnawi becomes Saudi’s first woman traveler in space later this year, women’s empowerment will reach the seventh heaven.
Who is Haifa?
She was born in Riyadh as the daughter of Abdul Rahman, a Saudi diplomatic officer. But soon he had to move abroad with his family. He stayed in New York for a long time. Almost 17 years. degree in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University, New York. At that time, he did an internship at ABC News. After that, an opportunity to do an internship as a reporter at Interpress News at the United Nations completely changed the way I thought, looked, and wanted to be.
The idea was to acquire expertise in handling international relations. He received his master’s degree in International Relations from Syracuse University. It didn’t end there. He acquired a master’s degree in ‘Conflict Resolution and Negotiation’ from Columbia University and further acquired expertise and knowledge in the field. Worked at the UN Counter Terrorism Center in New York. Later, he served as Saudi Arabia’s representative in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council for a short period of time.
Then returned to Riyadh. By that time, Saudi Arabia had begun to advance in a new social and developmental perspective. Worked as an officer in the National Development and Diversification Program of Vision 2030. Later, he joined ‘SRMG Think’ as a managing director under Saudi Research and Media Group, the largest media group in Saudi Arabia. It was a research institute focused on providing perspectives, analysis and insights from the Middle East-North Africa region. It was during this post that he received a royal invitation to become the head of the Saudi mission to the European Union.
Haifa’s own words about the things that made her grow globally by using favorable factors and still standing on her own soil to solve the problems of the society she was born in are as follows: As the daughter of a diplomat, most of my life was spent studying in international schools and visiting different cultures and peoples around the world. It allowed me to gain understanding and insight into international issues and world order. This was something that benefited me a lot in my career.
It played a major role in shaping who I am today. I still love to travel, experience different cultures, even try different cuisines and absorb as many languages as possible. In short, it enabled me to gain a more nuanced understanding of the way the world works.
Growing up, I found inspiration from my family, who have been an unwavering pillar of support over the years. My father encouraged and guided me in my career. And it was a guide on how to survive through the complex levels of the sector.
Still, my mother remained our link to the land of her birth. It has played an important role in maintaining our Saudi culture, traditions and heritage wherever we are in the world. I grew up surrounded by some strong, tenacious, intelligent, and gracious Saudi women who laid the foundation for me and many others in Saudi society. This led me to start my professional journey in the field of media.
After 9/11, it was a time when Saudis and Muslims were stigmatized globally due to inaccurate stories and gross misrepresentations by international news organizations. That is how the thought of acting as a corrective force against this becomes rooted in the mind.
Last Updated Mar 8, 2023, 8:08 PM IST